Kongsberg Maritime Unveils “Super-Efficient Bulker” Design Promising 40%- 50% Fuel Savings

Kongsberg Maritime has unveiled an innovative vessel design concept that aims to revolutionize fuel efficiency in the shipping industry.

The Super-Efficient bulker, based on an 82,000 DWT Kamsarmax bulker, claims to save 40-50% on fuel costs.

The innovative design will allow ship owners to fulfil strict emissions requirements in future without having to switch from conventional fuels.

Oskar Levander, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Kongsberg Maritime, highlighted the industry’s challenges in complying with the upcoming emissions requirements, while several expressed a preference for proceeding with conventional fuels.

He stated that the objective was to develop a vessel that could maintain projected CII regulations throughout its lifetime by leveraging advanced, cost-effective technologies.

Kongsberg Maritime collaborated with ship designer Deltamarine to incorporate cutting-edge features into the Kamsarmax platform, maximizing efficiency.

The design focuses on three tiltable rotor sails, two suction wing sails, and a hybrid wind technology that optimizes wind power consumption under varied conditions.

Henrik Sjöblom of Kongsberg Maritime stated that the approach provides the best of both worlds, increasing versatility and efficiency.

The vessel’s hull features a unique lubrication system that traps bubbles beneath the hull, extensively reducing frictional resistance.

Combined with a 1-degree tilted hull and vertically turned bilge keels, an efficient ‘bubble wall’ increases fuel savings.

The ‘Super-Efficient Bulker’ incorporates a Hybrid Shaft Generator with frequency control to optimize electrical power utilization, allowing for increased electric load for propulsion and air lubricating systems.

An intelligent energy management system (iEMS) and route optimization software efficiently utilize energy while reducing operational costs.

Furthermore, the vessel has a Hull Skater to maintain the hull clean and reduce resistance during operation, which contributes to its overall fuel efficiency.

According to Kongsberg Maritime’s analysis, the ‘Super-Efficient Bulker’ is projected to save more than 50% on fuel costs compared to conventional vessels of similar capacity, making it a compelling investment with a five-year payback period.

Oskar Levander emphasized the importance of this initiative, saying the combination of cutting-edge technology creates substantial savings, making our new design a game-changer for the industry.

He emphasized Kongsberg Maritime’s commitment to leading the shipping industry toward a cleaner, more efficient future.

Reference: Kongsberg Maritime

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